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Linehan gets stride back at state meet

LAKEWOOD — Jack Linehan was running well in March and early April, posting qualifying times in the distance races.

Then he went on spring break and got sick on the last day.

“I was sick for a month,” Linehan said. “I just finally got over it about four days ago.”

He got over it well enough to finish second in the finals of the boys 1,600-meter run at Saturday’s Class 2A state track & field championships at Jefferson County Stadium.

“I felt like I had more energy,” the Crested Butte Community School senior said of having a kick down the home stretch for the first time in four weeks.

Linehan will spend the summer working on his base.

“I have a lot more running in me,” the Boston College-bound Linehan said.

Plateau Valley’s Scott Coyle finished seventh in the race.

Finishing second in the girls 1,600 was Paonia’s Johanna Reed, who also finished second in Friday’s 3,200 final.

Reed had the lead heading into the final lap but was passed on the first curve by Nederland freshman Kelley Robinson, who had posted the fastest 2A time in the state this year.

Reed was briefly passed by Kat Robinson, Kelly’s sister, but moved back into second, nipping Kat down the stretch.

“I’ve been trying to get more of a sprint (kick) in with my 800 and my 1,600,” said Reed, who got a two-week-late start on the track season when the Paonia girls basketball team qualified for the state tournament.

Erin Kelly of Crested Butte place fifth and Audrey Hogan of Rangely sixth.

Other strong finishes in the 2A meet included Paonia’s Brittani Venard taking fourth in the 400 run and Norwood’s Lindsey Stindt finishing fifth in the 300 hurdles.

Chelyn McCain of Coal Ridge came in second in the girls 300 hurdles in the 3A meet.

Gunnison’s Lindsay Hart was sixth and Grand Valley’s Erin Vanderpool eighth. The Western Slope League also had a strong finish in the boys 300 hurdles with Bryan Salinas of Roaring Fork fourth, Jared Tonder of Grand Valley sixth, Geordan Brewer of Cedaredge seventh and Bradey Gasaway of Coal Ridge ninth.

Gunnison’s Shey Kiester took fourth and Grand Valley’s Brandi Krieg sixth in the 400 run. Krieg finished up with a fifth-place finish in the 1,600 run; Basalt’s Chiara Del Picolo was sixth.